L. Mae "Boots" Watkins

Funeral services will be held for L. Mae "Boots" Watkins, long time Ruidoso resident, Friday, January 13th at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Ruidoso. Reverend Max Jones will officiate and will be assisted by Ryan Arnold of First Christian Church in Ruidoso. Burial will be held at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Ruidoso. A visitation will be held on Thursday, January 12th from 5 to 7 p.m. in LaGrone Funeral Chapel in Ruidoso, New Mexico.

Mrs. Watkins surround by her family passed away peacefully from complications of Alzheimer's on January 7th at Casa Maria Health Care Center in Roswell. She had lived in Roswell for the past 12 years.

Mrs. Watkins was born in Lubbock, Texas on January 13, 1920. She was the oldest child of Joe and Marie McClung. She graduated from Lubbock High School.

B.J. Watkins married Boots McClung on September 27, 1938 and when he took her to Ruidoso shortly thereafter, she remarked "I think this is the most beautiful place I have ever seen." Her love of the mountains remained with her throughout her lifetime.

She is survived by her son, Bobby Watkins and his wife, Denese, of El Paso, Texas and her daughter, Beverly Merritt and her husband, Ronnie, of Roswell.

Preceding her in death is her husband, B.J. Watkins; her brother, Charles McClung; and two sisters, Fay Marie McClung and JoAnn Robinson.

Other survivors include four grandchildren, Jackie Witt and her husband Mark of Roswell, Ron Merritt and his wife Sandra of Yeso, Bram Watkins and his wife Stacey and Brandi Brown and her husband Hunter of El Paso; seven great-grandchildren; three great-great grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Watkins worked at various businesses in Roswell and Ruidoso through the years. Many will remember her friendly smile and helpful services. Her most enjoyable times were spent working up on the mountain at the ski shop, the jewelry shop at Inn of the Mountain Gods and the Jockey Club gate at the Ruidoso Downs Race Track. She enjoyed the interaction with the many people she met and made many lifelong friends along the way. Boots and B.J. built and ran the Downs Motel in Ruidoso Downs.

Boots wore many hats and touched many hearts but her greatest loves were the Lord, her husband, her family, dancing, good music, fishing and shopping. Her home was always open to her children's friends and most of the time there was someone living with them she cared for as one of her own.